Street-conduit for electric and cable railways



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H. T. CLAY.

STREET OONDUIT'POR ELECTRIC AND CABLE RAILWAYS. No. 338,485.

WITNESSES 1 whuawb d N PETERS. nmpmn m. VI-Hngton. D. c

. lower sections, H H, the said parts being se- UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

HENRY T. CLAY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

STREET-CONDUIT FOR ELECTRIC AND CABLE RAILWAYS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,485, dated March23, 1886.

Application filed June 25, 1885. Serial No. 169.748. (No model.)

To (0Z2 1072 0121, it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY T. CLAY, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvementsin Street-Conduits forElectric and Cable Railways, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming a part of this specification.

My invention relates to the construction of undergound conduits forcable and electric railways and for electric-light and telegraphcircuits; audit consists in preparing a suitable foundation inclosingasewer-pipe open at its top to receive the lower-side of a metalconduitframe, within which means are provided for holding electricwires, mechanism for operating an electric railway,ora cable wire, asmay be desired, and in the details of the structure, as hereinafter morefully described.

In the drawings, Fi ure 1 represents a vertical section of the entirestructure, showing the location of the several parts with relation toeach other; Fig. 2, a like vertical section designed to show theconstruction of the 0011- duit-franie, and Fig. 8 a side and endelevation of the metal conduit-frame.

The ground being properly excavated to the required depth, a sewer, A,is constructed within a foundation of masonry, B, said sewer beingpreferably constructed of the shape shown in the drawings, in order thatthe superincumbent masonry shall form a suitable and close-fittingsupportingbed for the metallic conduit-frame H. This frameis constructedof two lower sections, H H, bolted together at 6, where their flangedends join at the base, and two upper sections,KK,of the form shown, andseparated from each other and resting upon a frame, L, shaped to conformthereto, interposed between their under sides and the curely boltedtogether, and again bolted to a series of ties, D, by bolts X, saidlower sections, H H, being again secured to the said ties D and to therail-ties F by a series of boltrods, 3 and Y, said rail ties or sills Fbeing placed at suitable distances apart in the roadbed to receive therails E; and the space he- -connecting-bar from a moving car.

tween said rail ties or sills F and the upper flanged ends of saidconduit-sections K K is filled up with the usual paving-blocks,G.

In Fig. 3 is shown the complete metal conduitfraine consisting of thetwo sections H H, the two sections K K, and the interposed frame L,likewise in two parts or sections. It is obvious that such conduit isconstructed of suitable lengths, each of which lower sections, H H, ofcachlength and at each end of each of such lengths hasinwardly-projecting flanges 7 7, so that the lengths of conduit can bese curely bolted together, such projecting flanges also serving as asupport to the top covering. Each length of sections HH is cut away ata, so as to leave a clear open space in its under side,so as to serve asa draining-exit therefrom to the sewer A,for any water or other foreignsubstance that may find its way into the conduit. Said conduit in eachlength is further provided with a man-hole, indicated at V, to serve asa ready means of cleaning and repairing it and its inclosed wires,cables, or other internal parts. A set of braces (shown at 5) will moreeffectually hold the sections H H in position; but these need not andshould not be used where such conduit is used for cablerailway purposes.Said sections H H are also provided with inwardly-projectinglateral bars8 8, perforated by insulated holes or openings N N, through whichelectric wires may be strung for telegraphic, telephonic, or lightingpurposes, and such use may be in conjunction with, but independent of,the use of said conduit for electric-railway or cable-railway purposes.

At M and O are shown tubes for holding electric wires, to convey thecurrent to suitable points in the street or highway, the former takingthe current from the rigid tube-conductor R used for electric-railwaypurposes and the latter taking the current from any one or more of thewires held in the perforations N of the bars 8. It will be seen that thesections K K are so placed upon the interposed foundation-plate L thatthe upper vertical sides do not come against each other, but leave anopen space between them to permit the longitudinal passage in such spaceof a In the drawings, Fig. 1, such bar P is the connect ing-bar betweenthe eleotric-motor carried in used for electric railway purposes, suchconductor being secured to the metal conduit sections K K,through aninterposed insulated block, T.

The conduit, when not used for cable or electric railway purposes, butonly for the other purposes mentioned, may be closed at the top by theT-shaped plate V, Fig. 2..

Having thus described my invention,what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent. is-

1. A street-conduit consisting of sections H H, sections K K, interposedplate L, said parts being constructed, arranged, and combinedsubstantially as described.

2. The combination constituting an electric or cable railwayconduit,consisting of sections HH and sections K K, with suitable bracesconnecting the same together and with railsills F, said parts beingcombined, constructed, and arranged substantially as set forth.

3. The conduit described, consisting of sections H H, sections K K,plate L, ties D,

masonry foundation 13,-and pipes M and O, in combination with rail-sillsand rails F and E, the said parts being constructed substantially asdescribed, and arranged upon a suita- 3o ble road-bed, as set forth.

4; The combination, with sections K K, of the sections H H, open at a,and having projecting bars 8 provided with insulated perforations N,substantially as set forth. 3 5

HENRY T. CL AY.

WVitnesses:

E. L. MINTZER, J r., SAML. G. DIEHL.

